How to identify a skull, with forensic anthropologist Dr Susan Hayes

By Lorraine Horsley and Rebecca Brewin

Evidence, science, forensics and a van full of skulls all sound like the ingredients for an exciting hit TV show. Dr Susan Hayes works with all of the above in her role as a forensic anthropologist, but says reality is nothing like TV.

Dr Hayes approximates the facial appearances of the dead by studying the skull and its relationship to soft tissue.

Her work is used for archaeological and forensic purposes.

"In the very rare circumstance that someone's remains are unidentified, they will bring in someone like me to approximate the facial appearance not as an evidentiary move but as a way of stimulating leads to possibly identify the remains because everything else hasn't worked," she said.

"My job is to reinvigorate a case."

In an archaeological context, Dr Hayes can help approximate the facial appearance of someone who died 100 or 200,000 years ago.

Dr Hayes has recently travelled to Western Australia to give talks on art, anatomy and the skull.

She only travels with replica skulls because carrying human remains is illegal and as she believes, disrespectful.